Juniors led the Indians to a perfect 10-0 regular season

Loveland teammates Trey Cardenas, left, and Zach Weinmaster are the 2017 RH all-area football defensive and offensive players of the year. Both were pivotal pieces as the Indians completed a perfect 10-0 regular season. (Cris Tiller / Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Neither one is willing to inch out to the skinny end of the branch.

They only look at each other and smile, the kind of grin that suggests they know the answer they'd like to give, but think better of it all in the process of a second. Maybe in other settings the two teammates would present a more boastful demeanor. Not now.

Here under the shining sun of an unusually warm winter afternoon just outside Loveland High, Trey Cardenas and Zach Weinmaster opt for the polite response to the question: Just who is the better athlete?

Then a qualifier. "It's whoever wakes up best in the morning," Cardenas says. "Whoever eats the better breakfast."

Admittedly, it's a tough question to answer, even for an objective third party. Loveland football coach Wayne McGinn just chuckles hearing the story, picturing it as if he were there without much effort.

"There's Trey for you, right on the nose," McGinn laughs at Cardenas' response. "If you were asking me, it's both. We're just lucky to have one of each on both sides of the ball."

No debate required on that. The Indians greatly benefitted from having both athletes on a single team, two integral pieces of a perfect 10-0 regular season.

Perhaps it is truly a tie after all. Weinmaster and Cardenas are the 2017 RH all-area football offensive and defensive players of the year.

Zach Weinmaster (3) played the entire season with a shoulder injury, but still couldn't be stopped as he rushed for 1,549 yards on 209 carries (7.4 per tote) with 26 touchdowns. His yardage was 24th in the entire state despite sitting most second halves with Loveland way ahead. (Sean Star / Loveland Reporter-Herald)

During a summer camp scrimmage, Weinmaster took a tackle and landed funny on his right shoulder. It was dislodged from the socket, tearing the labrum on the way out and sending him to a bevy of doctors. With a brace and some caution, the diagnosis was positive.

"When it first happened the pain was terrible. But I didn't really notice it throughout the season," Weinmaster said. "(Doctors) said there was a slight risk of it getting worse by completely separating. This sounds really bad, but they said I could probably go each game with it coming out of the socket once. If it became more than once a game, I'd have to sit out. I'm glad that didn't happen."

Even without the full use of his right shoulder (and being a right-handed player), Weinmaster was borderline unstoppable his junior season. He ran for 1,546 yards (24th in the state) with 26 touchdowns at a ridiculous 7.4 yard per carry. And that's without playing most second halves when the Indians were up big and the coaches were eager to keep Weinmaster out of harm's way.

His running style is fluid and polished. And not by accident. Film is a staple of Weinmaster's routine, only not his own. Christian McCaffrey and Le'Veon Bell are his favorites, one for quick cutting ability and the other for patience, both emulated in his game.

"He has that vision. I always talk about vision, that's what it takes to be a good running back," McGinn said. "You can't be thinking about it, it just has to be instinct. He makes those cut backs look so smooth and like they're always right it seems like. That's Zach. Once he finds the seam, he's through it."

A vote was cast like every year, but this time it was essentially a formality. The winner was obvious.

Trey Cardenas (24) was an all-around playmaker for Loveland who played like an "animal", leading the Indians with 71 tackles (11 for loss) and five sacks to go with a fumble recovery and a blocked punt. He was also a top receiving option at tight end for good measure. (Sean Star / Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Each Indian submitted a choice for who they thought displayed the best and most consistent effort throughout the season at the end of the campaign. Overwhelmingly, the same name poured in. Trey Cardenas.

"That's who he is; 100 percent every time. That's what makes him so good," McGinn said. "He's always going full speed. You almost don't even recognize it because you never see him give less than 100 percent. You can kind of take him for granted."

In many ways he was. Cardenas wasn't voted the best defender in the conference and he didn't make the all-state team along with several of his Loveland teammates. But he was without question at the center of one of the best defenses in the state.

Cardenas led the Indians with 71 tackles, 11 of them for loss, including five sacks to go with a fumble recovery and a blocked punt. However, stats alone don't do him justice. Opponents began to understand there was no stopping Cardenas. Only avoiding him.

Assuming you could.

"He's an animal out there. That's what he is. You just say 'Go sic em'!' and he goes and gets them," McGinn said. "It doesn't matter if they put two guys on him, he'll get to them. He's a very respectful, nice guy. But on the field, whew, he's an animal. That's who he is."

Cardenas relished his increased role this season as a junior after sitting the first five games out of the previous year due to transfer rules when he enrolled to LHS following a move and years of homeschooling.

With a year of comfort and full action, he became the Swiss Army knife for the defensive coaching staff. A little bit of everything and handy when called upon.

"It made me work harder; it made me appreciate the role I have," he said. "The coaches count on me and that gave me the confidence to know that I'm the guy that could get it done. I'm just looking for a way to get to the ball. I try to get there as fast as I can and hit them as hard as I can. That's just the way I play."

LeVault — One of the rocks on the inside for Loveland, the senior ate up blockers, made 39 tackles, five for loss and added a sack for good measure.

Meyers — A dynamic athlete on the edge, the junior corner made a area-leading five interceptions to go with 24 tackles, while taking returns for the Indians.

Ringus — Thompson Valley's season may have disappointed, but the play of its senior defensive lineman did not as he made 58 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 13 more quarterback hurries.

Seymour — Another of Loveland's key interior lineman, the senior made 62 tackles, nine for loss and three sacks to go with a forced fumble.

Trojahn — A force in the middle for Berthoud, the junior shined with the second-most tackles in the area at 122, including three sacks and a pick.

Yuska — Berthoud's senior tied the area lead with five interceptions in the secondary, adding another 45 tackles.

Zuhlke — No player did more for Resurrection Christian than this athletic junior, who was a playmaker on both sides of the ball, primarily at safety with an area-best 131 tackles to go with four interceptions.

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